To Boldly Goto School
by toadstoolcouch
Summary: Zapp and Kif were friends when they first met in the Academy, but how long can this last? Preslash.


Cadet Kroker first met Cadet Brannigan one morning while he was hurrying to get ready for class. Kif was never one to be late for anything.

It was very surprising to see this tall, tanned, and all around big human enter his little room as if he owned the place, but Kif still kept getting ready. He assumed that this human had been assigned as his roommate, and he was right, though he could hardly understand the reason Zapp was telling him, or more like, bragging to him.

Kif knew it was very rude to be basically ignoring his new roommate, but he was late! But if he was late, then what about Zapp? He was fully dressed, though Kif noted his hair was looking rather rebellious. But he was just standing there, chatting up a one sided storm. Did he not have class in the morning or something?

Just as he was about to ask, Zapp suddenly stopped talking and stared at him, as if seeing him for the first time. Grinning and crossing his arms, he laughed, "Well aren't you the strangest little thing I've ever seen!"

Kif glared and felt disappointed; he'd really wanted a roommate, a friend through school, and now that he had one, he turned out to be prejudiced. He was so very, very tired of the jokes and the...

"What's your name?" he asked, interrupting his self pitying thoughts. Zapp took Kif's hand, and because it was bare, Kif felt a jolt of feeling that was nearly overpowering. It felt wonderful, and combined with the huge, confident smile of the human, Kif suddenly forgot his anger. Zapp didn't apologize for what could be considered an insensitive remark, nor did he appear to even think he *needed* to apologize. That alone made Kif forgive him.

Kif pulled his hand away as soon as etiquette allowed, and made a note to buy some gloves. Direct skin contact wasn't always easy to deal with, especially not with someone that made him feel so strongly.

"Kif," he said softly.

"Zapp Brannigan, at your service," Zapp smirked.

Kif smiled, then remembered. His slanted, protruding eyes glistened as his face fell. "We have to get to class!"

"Relax, Kif!" Zapp told him, taking his arm. Kif didn't get a chance to grab everything he wanted, but he followed Zapp anyway, his arm gently pulled.

People were friendly to him as they passed. The other kids still hurried, the few that were also late, but where they would have ignored or snickered at Kif before, they nodded and grinned at him, now that he was accompanied by Zapp, of course. Kif would learn later just how influential his new friend's presence could be, for better or worse.

The instructor, an older woman with a fantastic figure hiding beneath her severe uniform, was already lecturing when the duo entered. Zapp went right up to her, with Kif still at his arm, smiled and said, "So sorry, Ma'am. Mix up with berthing assignments, you know how it is."

Kif had only ever seen this woman frown and scold, but now she was actually blushing. She waved them away, not even noticing Kif, but it easy to guess that he wouldn't get in trouble for being late today.

Or ever, as long as he came with Zapp and the teacher were female...

As the teacher managed to recover from the incident, the young cadets tried to find seats. Unfortunately the only two seats available were not close to each other. Kif gave Zapp an apologetic look as he sat down, but then watched in amazement as Zapp merely took over the seat next to him, as if the kid sitting in it wasn't there. And that was pretty much the case, because the cadet sitting there got up as soon as he saw Zapp approach, and went to sit in the other open seat.

Without so much as a look to the other student, Zapp made himself comfortable and flashed a warm smile at Kif, perhaps looking at him a bit longer than Kif found comfortable, then paid careful attention to the instructor's behind as she wrote on the board with her laser chalk.

At this moment, the amphibious young Kif was the luckiest, happiest little humanoid, because he had Zapp Brannigan for a friend. 


End file.
